diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index 6773d003..da2504d6 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -237,9 +237,10 @@ bool is_separate_word(size_t position, size_t length, const char *buf)
 const char *strstrwrapper(const char *haystack, const char *needle,
 	const char *start)
 {
-    /* Just in case we search for an empty needle. :/ */
-    if (*needle == '\0')
+    if (*needle == '\0') {
+	statusline(ALERT, "Searching for nothing -- please report a bug");
 	return (char *)start;
+    }
 
     if (ISSET(USE_REGEXP)) {
 	if (ISSET(BACKWARDS_SEARCH)) {